Crutch



Patented Mar. 2, 1948 UNITED STATES `PAT ENT GFI-ICE CRUTCH Jerome H. Clemens, Chicago,y Ill.

Application February 3, 1945, Serial No. 575,997

9 Claims.

l Myinvention relates to improvements in crutches. One 4object 'of my invention is to. provide a crutch having a spur connected thru a rod tothe hand hold 'of the crutch which is journailed or pivotedin the bows-of saidV crutch, said spur being capable of movement down or upv underthe infiuenceioflthe'hand by a movement of said hand hold, clockwise or counterclockwise about its axis. The. movement of the rod connected to the spur being -eifectuated by cam means translating the partial rotary movement of' the hand grip, into reciprocal movement of the spur.

Another object-of my invention is to provide an improved crutch of the aforementioned character in which the spur-is interchangeably and removably secured.

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved crutch of the aforementioned character having a prod or a spikey adapted to be protruded beyond the end of the crutch when necessary, to prevent slipping, and also capable of having the spur retracted within the said crutch when not needed, or'when itis desired to avoid injuryrto a surface-upon vwhich the crutch is operated.

One feature of the invention consists in providing means -for protruding and retractingthe prod by virtue of cam actuated means providing at the same time means for locking the prod or spike in protruded position, adapted to eiective- 1y bite into a sleety or icy surface.

A further object of my invention isrto provide aniinprovedcrut'chof the` aforementioned character which isv practical and eihcient in its constructionand operation,-and of such simple elemental construction .as to permit` economical manufacture thereof in .quantity production.

Other features, and. ancillary objects, inherent in myy invention will become apparent yfrom an examination of fthe ,accompanying drawings, having particular reference to the rensuing description, in' which like-,symbols are used to designate like parts, and in which:

Fig.. 1 represents a front viewv of my invention partly in section.

Fig. 2 represents aside view thereof in operative position.

Fig. 3 represents an enlarged fragmentary showing of the cam motivating means used in. connection with my improved crutch when in inoperative position.

Fig. Y4 vis an enlarged longitudinal cross-sectional View taken, substantially, on the line-4--4 of figure 3.

`ance with the teachings of my invention, hereinafter to be more'clearly elucidated. The said crutch is providedI with an under arm rest 'l' which may be suitably padded, and the bowed out supports 8, which merge into a leg portion 42. The said supports 8 are provided with the pad 9. in order to receiverotatably therebetween,

the handholdor support IlI, which is integrally formed with a web I5 of bell-crank shape, and which is provided witha Yslotted portion 38 terminating inan'oiset recess portion 39 having a curved portion Mito facilitate releasing the pin 2B.

To the slotted portion 38, I attach a rod member vI8 vwhich has a fork-like extension furnishing the slottedrecess I9 to fit the web I5 and being secured thereto by virtue of a rivet, or other-suitable means 28. The fork-like rod portionr I8 terminates in a reduced rod portion '28 which isV suitably guidedin the bored recess 24. The rod 26 terminates in an enlarged portion 25 to furnish an additional bearing at the extreme foot of the leg 42 ofthe crutch 5. This enlarged portion25 is suitably tapped in order to receive the conically-shaped prod or spike 21 which has a vreduced threaded extension 28 to be secured removably to the tapped hole in the section 25.

The lower portion or foot of the leg 42 of the crutch is suitably encased in a resilient, or rubbertip 29. The crutch leg 42 is provided with an enlarged counterbored portion 23 in order to furnish clearance and relieve the frictional contact which would otherwise exist between the rod 26 if the enlarged counterbore 23 were not present.

The central portion of the crutch is provided with a counterbored section 22 in which is housed a suitable spring element 2l abutting against the end of the counterbore 22; the spring 2I being Y confined between 'the bottom ofthe counterbore 22, and the shoulder on the portion I8 of the extendable andretractable rod 26.

The bowed portions 8 of the crutch below the pad 9 form a recess I6 which is also cut out or relieved `as indicated at, I'I in order to provide suicient A'clearance for the movement of the cantilever-like cam means I5 cut out for light-V ness` as shown at 4I.

It is to be noted that the body I3 of the screw IILVat the end thereof I2, furnishes a suitable seat against the pad 9 so as to furnish a sufficient clearance for the smooth operation of the rotatable hold or grip i4. The screw lo being thread seated by virtue of its threaded extension Il.

The single crutch, or a pair thereof, may be positioned with respect to a wearer so that it would require manipulation of the hand hold or grip i4 clockwise to effectuate the protrusion of the prod or spike 2l, and conversely to be rotated counterclockwise to retract the same, or the situation may be reversed; i. e. the hand hold or grip may be rotated counterclockwise to protrude the prod or spike, or clockwise to retract it. It all depends on how the crutch is orientated when the user is relying upon it to function efliciently,

yet it is entirely optional with him to select whichY directional method of operation or rotation he prefers.

In Figure 3, I indicate the crutch in its nor; mal position when the prod 21 is retracted, thus the crutch tip 29 is operative and prevents marring of surfaces on which it may operate.

In Figure 2, the position is indicated wherein the prod is protruded for effective operation on slippery, icy, sleety or similar surfaces upon which an individual Vusing it may be compelled to walk.

Some forms of crutches are made up with the bowed'out portions B running almost the entire length of the crutch, in fact almost to the very bottom as shown in Figure 5, wherein the bowed out portions terminate at 33 where they the brought together and form the, leg 35. VInV this particular'case the rod portion 25 may be ofV one continuous length having a prod 3l at its terminus and being secured to a guide bushing 30 by virtue of a pin or set screw 3|,the spring 32 being confined between the bearing or bushing 30 and the bottom of the counterbore 3d.,

the guide at the other end indicating the rod 24?Y operating within the bore 43. The upper portion of the rod 2li is similar to that indicated in Figures 1 to 4, and operates in the same manner as heretofore elucidated for Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4. The crutch foot carries a tip 36 of resilient material.

`.'[t should be noted that the portion dil is shallow so as to permit unlocking of the pin Eil from engagement with the portion 39 by slight pressure in a counterclockwise directional movement (see Fig. 2) when it is desired to retract the prod.

I believe, I have described rather succinctly the nature and operation of the crutch improvement I have created, and inasmuch as the same is susceptible of various improvements and modifications, I reserve the right to all such improvements and modifications coming within the scope and spirit of my invention, as well as those embodied in the accompanying drawings, and also those falling within the purview of the foregoing disclosure.

Having thus described and revealed my invention, what I claim as novel and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a crutch having a tip, bowed supports. cam actuated prod means projectable beyond said tip, and a hand hold rotatably mounted between the said bowed supports, the said hand hold provided with an extension; slotted cam means in said extension, a forked member mounted on the upper end of said prod means and slidably secured to the extension of the said hand hold, and pin means articulately securing the Ysaid forked member to the said slotted cam means.

, means 2. In a crutch having a tip, bowed supports, cam actuated prod means projectable beyond said tip, and a hand hold rotatably mounted between the said bowed supports, the said hand hold provided with an extension; slotted cam means in said extension, a forked member mounted on the upper end of said prod means and slidably secured to the extension of the said hand hold, pin means articulately securing the said forked member to the said slotted cam means, and a spur removably secured to the said prod means.

3. In a crutch having a tip, bowed supports, cam actuated prod means projectable beyond said tip, and a hand hold rotatably mounted between the said bowed supports, the said hand hold provided with an extension; slotted cam means in said extension, a forked member mounted on the upper end of said prod means and slidably secured to the extension of the said hand hold, and pin means articulately securing the said forked member to the said slotted cam means, the said prod means adapted to be projected and retracted by inverse rotary movements of the said hand hold.

4. In a crutch having a tip, bowed supports, cam actuated prod means projectable beyond said tip, and ahand hold rotatably mounted between the said bowed supports, theV said hand hold provided with an extension; slotted cam means in said extension, a forked member mounted on the upper end of said prod means and slidably secured to the extension of the said hand hold, pin means articulately securing the said forked member to the said slotted cam means, and a spur removably secured to the said prod means, the said prod means adapted to be projected and retracted by inverse rotary movements of the said hand hold.

5. In a crutch having a tip, bowed supports, cam actuated prod means projectable beyond said tip, a pivot element secured to the said bowed supports, and a hand hold rotatably mounted on the said pivot element and confined between the said bowed supports, the said hand hold provided with an extension; slotted cam means in said extension, a forked member mounted on the upperend of said prod means and slidably secured to the extension of the said hand hold, and pin means articulately securing the said forked member to the said slotted cam means.

6. In a crutch having a tip, bowed supports, cam actuated prod means projectable beyond said tip, a pivot element secured to the said bowed supports, and a hand hold rotatably mounted on the said pivot element and conned between the said bowed supports, the said hand hold provided with an extension; slotted cam means in said extension, a forked member mounted on the upper end of said prod means and slidably secured to the extension of the said hand hold, pin means articulately securing the said forked member to the said slotted cam means, and a spur removably secured to the said prod means.

7. In a crutch having a tip, bowed supports, cam actuated prod means projectable beyond saidrtip, a pivot element secured to the said bowed supports, and a hand hold rotatably mounted on the said pivot element and conned between the said bowed supports, the said hand hold provided with an extension; slotted cam in said extension, a kforked member mounted on the upper end of said prod means and slidably secured to the extension of the said hand hold, and pin means articulately securing the said forked member to the said slotted cam means, the said prod means adapted to be projected and retracted by inverse rotary movements of the said hand hold.

8. In a crutch having a tip, bowed supports, cam actuated prod means projectable beyond said tip, a pivot element secured to the said bowed supports, and a hand hold rotatably mounted on the said pivot element and confined between the said bowed supports, the said hand hold provided with an extension; slotted cam means in said extension, a forked member mounted on the upper end of said prod means and slidably secured to the extension of the said hand hold, pin means articulately securing the said forked member to the said slotted cam 6 means, and a spur removably secured to the said prod means, the said prod means adapted to be projected and retracted by inverse rotary movements of the said hand hold.

9. The structure dened in claim 1, further characterized by an oiset recess at the terminus of said slotted cam means adapted to engage releasably the said pin means.

JEROME H. CLEMENS.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Hover Feb. 9, 1915 Number 

